The invention disclosed herein relates to the locking of quick-release wheel hubs, particularly those used on lightweight multi-speed bicycles. These bicycles are used generally for touring and non-competitive racing. Either the front wheel or both front and back wheels use quick- release mechanisms for securing the wheel hub to the forks of the bicycle frame. These mechanisms generally consist of a wheel axle with an area at either end to receive the ends of the bicycle forks. At one end of the axle is a tapered nut, and at the other end is a lever arm designed so that its rotation tightens or loosens the hub on the forks.
These quick-release mechanisms allow the rider to quickly remove the wheel for repairs without the use of wrenches or other tools. This feature is particularly useful for repairing flat tires when the rider does not have access to such tools. For this reason, quick-release hubs have become very popular in recent years.
There is, however, a major drawback to the use of quick-release hubs in that their easy removability makes them an inviting target for thieves. Many bicycle riders use hardened steel locks which are less susceptible to cutting, torching, or breaking by thieves than are conventional chains or cables. Due to their rigid shape and the cost of their materials, however, these locks are expensive, bulky and generally not large enough to lock both the front and the back wheel of a bicycle at the same time. If the rear wheel and frame are locked up using this type of lock, the thief can quickly steal the front wheel. Similarly, the thief can steal all but the front wheel if this is all the rider has locked. A common practice, therefore, is for the rider to remove the front wheel when locking the bike to an immovable object and either lock the front wheel to the back wheel or to carry the front wheel with him or her. Both alternatives are time-consuming and inconvenient. A third alternative is to use a chain or cable which is long enough to encompass both wheels and an immovable object when locking the bike. Such chains and cables are inconvenient to carry on the bicycle, however, and are not as safe from theft as are the smaller hardened steel locks. Thus, all of these alternatives are unsatisfactory for the rider. In recent years, different methods have been used to overcome this problem. These methods generally utilize a mechanism to lock the quick-release wheel hub to the bicycle frame while allowing the rider a relatively quick method to remove the hub without the use of tools. These mechanisms generally involve a lock mechanism being placed on the hub at the ends of the wheel axle to secure the axle to the frame. Such a device is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,915, issued to Stahl. Patent '915 discloses a lock mechanism which is integrally formed with a cover that fits over the lever arm of the quick-release mechanism and prevents the lever arm from being moved. Such a device is effective, but it is also very complicated and expensive, and it can add undesired weight to the bicycle.